A young employee secretly misappropriated several hundred dollars of his business firm’s money. When this action was discovered, the young man was told to report to the office of the senior partner of the firm. As he walked up the stairs toward the administrative office the young employee was heavyhearted. He knew without a doubt he would lose his position with the firm. He also feared the possibility of legal action taken against him. Seemingly his whole world had collapsed.

Upon his arrival in the office of the senior executive, the young man was questioned about the whole affair. He was asked if the allegations were true, and he answered in the affirmative. Then the executive surprisingly asked this question: “If I keep you in your present capacity, can I trust you in the future?”

The young worker brightened up and said, “Yes, sir, you surely can. I’ve learned my lesson.”

The executive responded, “I’m not going to press charges, and you can continue in your present responsibility.”

The employer concluded the conversation with his younger employee by saying, “I think you ought to know, however, that you are the second man in this firm who succumbed to temptation and was shown leniency. I was the first!  What you have done, I did. The mercy you are receiving, I received. It is only the grace of God that can keep us both.” *

You need forgiveness, as do I…  “As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one.  For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23).

“It is only the grace of God that can keep us both…”God has extended His grace to us through the gift of His Son who died on the cross for our sins (Titus 2:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 8:9).  We accept His grace through an obedient faith: believing in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repentance of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  

Once we have been forgiven of our sins, we need to be forgiving of others! Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Have YOU been forgiven?  Have you also been forgiving?

David Sargent